


A Better Nation

by RedStarFiction



Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8512762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedStarFiction/pseuds/RedStarFiction
Summary: A fanfic I have written today, it is topical and I do not apologise for that as fanfiction is a great outlet for me in more ways than one. It is an imagined conversation between Jamie and Bree - some sentiments have been expressed in the books already and are not completely out of canon but I appreciate that my idealism may temper the tone of the text quite heavily too. For those of us who feel exhausted today, I stand with you. Thank you for reading. Han xx





	

“Will there ever be a King of this land?”

Brianna blinked, she was half dozing in the fire, exhausted after a long day of hunting, and it took her a moment to process her father’s question.

“No, a republic will be formed with a president and a senate and a house of representatives to safe-guard his power.”

“Ah.”

Jamie nodded

“But it will always be a man?”

Brianna’s lip quirked upwards in surprise. She had not thought her father really considered such things as women’s potential power outside of his immediate family.

“For the first 200 years at least but maybe not always.”

“Good. I have ken a great many Kings and Chiefs, all men and most fools. In the old countries I can see why it may remain as such but here …”

He gestured out into the North Carolina woods with his chin, the gesture encompassing the entirety of the vast land around them

“If it is to be as ye history books have told then this is to be a fresh country, and maybe there is hope for a change.”

“It will go through a lot first. Slavery and brutality and the destruction of native people …”

Bree shuddered but Jamie only wagged his head pensively

“Aye, I dinna fully understand how slavery will be done away wi’ but you have told me it will be and I hope it is.”

“You do?”

Jamie gave his daughter a look which made Bree blush and look away, thoroughly abashed.

“I have spent more time in chains than I care to remember, Brianna. I would not wish such a thing on my worst enemy.”

“Sorry Da.”

Bree bit her lip awkwardly and Jamie allowed his expression to soften.

“Dinna fash, lass. As for the destruction of natives ways, I ken a little of such things myself.”

“Scotland?”

“Aye. It may not be so well documented in your history books but it was done all the same. I was flogged for claiming a piece of tartan as my own and plenty others received worse.”

Jamie leant forward and pushed another log into the flames sending a spray of sparks up into the night sky, illuminating the heavy bones of his face in shades of copper and crimson.

“It is my hope that we here now might shape something better for your time, Bree. I was not able to give you anything but I might be able to help give you that.”

“You’re willing to go to war for my version of America?”

Bree asked, utterly gob-smacked by the strength of her father’s declaration.

“I have fought for lesser causes, mo ghraidh.”

Jamie smiled and Bree busied herself with a loose thread on her sleeve until she could trust her voice to speak again.

“Do you really think a woman could govern?”

Brianna asked, sitting up and wrapping her arms about her knees.

“I dinna see why not. Ye Mam tells me that in your time a lass doesna need a husband to get along in life so…”

Jamie broke off and shrugged

“Ye ken that your mother once rescued me from the belly of one o’ the most notorious prisons in Scotland?”

Brianna nodded and sat up a little straighter, her father never spoke of Wentworth and what had happened there but she knew enough.

“Aye, weel. Before she did that I kent she was a rare strong woman, but after that … weel after that I kent that she was no’ just a strong woman, she was a strong person. She stormed the place, leading a gaggle of men and cows that would ha’ left me to my fate, and maybe rightly so! But she lead them in and she dragged me out and refused to let me die despite me wanting to, verra badly. I have seldom ken a man that could do so much.”

Bree saw pride glowing across her father’s face and her own chest swelled with it.

“I dinna ken what the future holds but I ken that a woman like your mother … like YOU, mo nighean ruaidh, could lead a nation.”

Bree wiped her hand beneath her eyes and sniffed heavily

“I think a lot of men are afraid of women like Mama.”

Jamie nodded and his face darkened momentarily

“Aye, they are and that makes them dangerous for we will always fear what we dinna understand and we will always hate what we fear.”

“So how do things change?”

Jamie glanced down at his daughter, looking up at him with wide trusting eyes still unmarked by age or time and his heart squeezed with love.

“By changing people’s way of thinking. Things can only change when people change. I thrashed your mother once; I likely would have done so again too, for it was my understanding of a husband’s duty.”

Jamie smiled ruefully and pushed a hand through his hair. Brianna knew the story but it still made him uncomfortable to speak of it, knowing his daughters feelings on such things.

“Your mother taught me better and I have led a happier marriage than I otherwise would have… thinking about it, I have survived longer than I otherwise would have!”

Brianna snorted and Jamie grinned at her, the slight tension leaving them, replaced with the easy companionship that can only truly be found in the quiet of a night shared with a dearly loved one.

“If ye can change people’s way of thinking a leannan, ye can change the world.”


End file.
